HC Deb 18 November 1997 vol 301 c121W
9. Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy on the proportion of the new homes estimated by his Department to be needed by 2016 which should be accommodated on brown-field sites.[14849]

Mr. Caborn

The current policy is for local authorities to make the best possible use of previously used sites for accommodating the country's future housing requirements. The national target set by the previous administration was for half of all new housing to be built on previously developed land, and this is under review. Urban areas could make a larger contribution to total additional housing provision if new conversions are included.